The Big Island Hates Kayakers
Most of my previous posts have been mini travelogues about my adventures on the Big Island. This post I want to talk about something that has puzzled me. As you can tell from this blog and the website I am an avid kayaker. I have been kayaking for many years now, exclusively in the ocean. My main interests include surf kayaking - that is riding the waves on my sit-on-top Ocean Kayak and kayaking to remote locations on the island to snorkel or SCUBA dive. When I lived on the mainland, I used to wait in anticipation for a large coastal storm, then rush to the coast with my kayak, eager to ride the large stormy waves!
As I have traveled throughout the Big Island over the years, I try to find new places to explore, and specifically new places to kayak to. With so many remote coastal areas, the Big Island is a perfect place to explore via kayak. Unfortunately, my recent attempts to kayak the Kona Coast have been thwarted by what I see as anti-kayak laws. What I really love about the Big Island is its raw beauty and wide open spaces. The Big Island is different than most mainland beaches that are crawling with millions of visitors and have so many overwhelming rules and regulations. For some unknown reason, there seems to be a consistent ban on kayaking at so many Big Island locations.
Recently, I had planned an excursion - we wanted to kayak from Kua Bay to Makalawena Beach. I thought it would be a really nice trip with beautiful land scenery as well as prolific reefs to explore. Checking satellite photos, it certainly looked enticing. When I last visited Kua Bay, I saw a dive flag just offshore and that whetted my apetite for exploration. Unfortunately, upon arrival at Kua Bay, we spotted this large garrish sign exclaming: NO KAYAKS ALLOWED. I thought it was very strange considering everything else seems to be acceptible... Not wanting to get fined or arrested, we aborted this mission.
A few days later, we found ourselves coming back from Captain Cook after a fantastic morning of kayaking, snorkeling and SCUBA diving. We decided to take a detour to Kahaluu Beach Park and check out the waves at the north end of this bay. Since it was the winter, the swells were impressive and we thought it would be a great chance to do a little surf kayaking here. So we quickly unloaded our kayak, rigged the seats, threw on our rash guards and slapped sunblock on our faces. We were ready to ride the sets... until we saw another large sign: NO KAYAKS ALLOWED -- we were crushed. We were relegate to body surfing at Magic Sands instead that afternoon... not nearly as fun as battling the waves by kayak.
It seems that the law makers seem to have a personal vandetta against us kayakers. There doesn't seem to be a problem with riding a surf board, body-board, or other flotation device. It is okay for the oppulent resorts limiting the "public beach access" with their condescending guards. But just don't get caught kayaking! Alas, it seems to be a state park law - so us avid kayakers will be forced to stay away from those locations and continue to partake in our sport as renegades.
I look forward to doing more "legal" kayaking in the future and posting my adventures online.
As I have traveled throughout the Big Island over the years, I try to find new places to explore, and specifically new places to kayak to. With so many remote coastal areas, the Big Island is a perfect place to explore via kayak. Unfortunately, my recent attempts to kayak the Kona Coast have been thwarted by what I see as anti-kayak laws. What I really love about the Big Island is its raw beauty and wide open spaces. The Big Island is different than most mainland beaches that are crawling with millions of visitors and have so many overwhelming rules and regulations. For some unknown reason, there seems to be a consistent ban on kayaking at so many Big Island locations.
Recently, I had planned an excursion - we wanted to kayak from Kua Bay to Makalawena Beach. I thought it would be a really nice trip with beautiful land scenery as well as prolific reefs to explore. Checking satellite photos, it certainly looked enticing. When I last visited Kua Bay, I saw a dive flag just offshore and that whetted my apetite for exploration. Unfortunately, upon arrival at Kua Bay, we spotted this large garrish sign exclaming: NO KAYAKS ALLOWED. I thought it was very strange considering everything else seems to be acceptible... Not wanting to get fined or arrested, we aborted this mission.
A few days later, we found ourselves coming back from Captain Cook after a fantastic morning of kayaking, snorkeling and SCUBA diving. We decided to take a detour to Kahaluu Beach Park and check out the waves at the north end of this bay. Since it was the winter, the swells were impressive and we thought it would be a great chance to do a little surf kayaking here. So we quickly unloaded our kayak, rigged the seats, threw on our rash guards and slapped sunblock on our faces. We were ready to ride the sets... until we saw another large sign: NO KAYAKS ALLOWED -- we were crushed. We were relegate to body surfing at Magic Sands instead that afternoon... not nearly as fun as battling the waves by kayak.
It seems that the law makers seem to have a personal vandetta against us kayakers. There doesn't seem to be a problem with riding a surf board, body-board, or other flotation device. It is okay for the oppulent resorts limiting the "public beach access" with their condescending guards. But just don't get caught kayaking! Alas, it seems to be a state park law - so us avid kayakers will be forced to stay away from those locations and continue to partake in our sport as renegades.I look forward to doing more "legal" kayaking in the future and posting my adventures online.
Labels: kayaking
posted by Letsgo-Hawaii.com at
4:58 PM
5 Comments:
Another option, maybe, would be to kayak in from the south at Kekaha Kai park to Makalawena. I haven't been here, but they used to have a specific area for launching kayaks and canoes. Then again, that may have changed.
This is interesting news. I'm not much of a kayak type of person (although I know a few people that do) but I've never heard of this in Oahu. Perhaps I haven't been paying much attention.
The law only prevent you from launching a kayak from a the state park? Am I correct in thinking this? The state park doesn't own the ocean, or even the beach legally, since no one can legally own the beach in Hawaii. I'm wondering if you could get away with using a windRider, it's a kayak with pontoons and sail. Locals considered kayaks to be Hoale.
Yes, I was mystified as well. Especially as an experienced kayaker, I can respect the other beach goers and ensure I don't run over anyone... I always thought the ocean was ours to share.
I think beachcomber is right--a friend's husband had his leg broken by kayakers (in N.C.) who couldn't control their kayak. He was holding their 2 year old at the time and barely managed to get her out of the water.
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